Integration of Artificial Intelligence, Computational Thinking, and Robotics in Primary Education: A Case Study in Puerto del Rosario

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55040/c03ws865

Keywords:

primary education, STEAM model, artificial intelligence, programming and robotics, problem-based learning, sustainable city

Abstract

In today’s primary education landscape, integrating digital technologies, active methodologies, and artificial intelligence (AI) presents both challenges and opportunities for developing essential 21st-century skills. This study explores the difficulties students face in acquiring digital competencies and engaging with active approaches such as Problem-Based Learning (PBL), which can hinder academic performance and highlight the need for meaningful, interdisciplinary, and context-driven learning strategies. The main objective is to design an innovative STEAM project that incorporates computational thinking and AI to strengthen problem-solving abilities in primary education. Using educational action research, the project was implemented with 27 students aged 10–11, focusing on the collaborative design of a sustainable city. This approach promoted logical-mathematical learning through digital activities and diverse group work, fostering inclusion, creativity, and skill development. Findings indicate that combining PBL with programming, robotics, and AI enhances critical thinking, autonomy, and STEAM-related competencies. However, successful implementation requires specialized teacher training and must address the ongoing challenge of the digital divide in vulnerable contexts. The use of SWOT and CAME frameworks proved essential in translating reflective analysis into strategic action. This experience contributes to educational research by offering a replicable model for strengthening key competencies in similar school settings.

Author Biographies

  • Dra. Inés María González Vidal, International University of Rioja

    Dr. Inés María González Vidal is an Automation Engineer from the Universidad de Oriente, Cuba (1995), and holds a Master's (2011) and a Doctorate (2014) in Educational Sciences from the University of Havana. In 2016, he did a post-doctorate at the Federal University of Alagoas, Brazil, focusing on adaptive hypermedia systems in game environments. She is currently a teacher at the International University of La Rioja (UNIR) and professor of Didactics of Mathematics I and II at the Camilo José Cela University (UCJC), where she also teaches Programming and Robotics in the University Master's in Educational Technology and Digital Competences. He is a member of the MATICO research group, dedicated to the study of active methodologies with immersive technologies for the development of teaching skills. His main lines of research include educational technology, adaptive hypermedia systems, gamification, STEAM and automation. He has published numerous scientific articles, book chapters and communications at conferences. He is part of the editorial board of the Revista Paraguaya de Educación a Distancia (REPED) and acts as an evaluator in various magazines in the educational field.

  • Dra. Carmen Romero García, International University of Rioja

    PhD in Biological Sciences with a solid teaching and research career in higher and secondary education. She has been a professor at the European University of Madrid (1996–2008), teaching 16 subjects in Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry and Genetics; and in Secondary Education and Vocational Training (2008–2013) in the areas of Mathematics and Experimental Sciences. Since 2012, she has been employed as a Doctor and Coordinator of the Department of Experimental Sciences at the International University of La Rioja (UNIR), where she teaches the Master's Degree in Primary Education and the Master's in Teacher Training, as well as directing numerous Final Degree and Master's Thesis. She has participated in 12 national research projects and contracts with public administrations in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and educational innovation, and is the author of more than 20 scientific publications, book chapters and more than 40 communications at conferences. Since 2015 she has been a collaborating teacher at Campusfp in Higher Degree Training Cycles. Specialist in active methodologies and virtual environments, his current lines of work focus on the training and evaluation of skills and the use of digital resources in education. He is a member of the research groups "Active Methodologies and Mastery Learning" (UNIR) and "Development and Innovation of Educational Models" (HUM833, University of Seville), representative of UNIR in the Teacher Research Network of Mexico, Andorra and Spain, with a six-year recognized research record, and editor of the Journal of Technology and Educational Science.

  • Diana Fleitas Rodríguez, International University of Rioja

    Diana Fleitas Rodríguez is a young Canarian writer born in the second decade of the 21st century. He is currently studying for a Master's Degree in Educational Technology and Digital Skills at the Faculty of Education of the International University of La Rioja (UNIR), in addition to having been a student of Primary Education at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC). Despite his youth, he has published two collections of poems, among them Horizonte (Beginbook, 2020), a work composed of forty-three poems distributed in seven lyrical sections. His writing is distinguished by a deep sensitivity, an introspective look and a remarkable ability to connect with his own and other people's emotions.Diana's poetry is presented as a vehicle of emotional expression and accompaniment, reflecting an exceptional creative maturity for her age.

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Published

2026-01-01

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 1 (2026)

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Original papers

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Copyright (c) 2026 Dra. Inés María González Vidal, Dra. Carmen Romero García, Diana Fleitas Rodríguez

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0

How to Cite

González-Vidal, I. M., Romero-García, C., & Fleitas-Rodríguez, D. (2026). Integration of Artificial Intelligence, Computational Thinking, and Robotics in Primary Education: A Case Study in Puerto del Rosario. EDUCA. International Journal for Educational Quality, 6(1), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.55040/c03ws865

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